Again, you're not comparing like with like. Granted Porch is a punt & Horwill is either injury plagued or a dud, but against that Connacht have 5 NIE players next season, while the other provinces have only 3 each.

If you look at the 4 provinces, Leinster have only 5 "foreign" players (Bent and Gibson-Park are both IQ). But the other three teams have very similar makeups - Munster have 9 foreign-reared players (10 if you count Sam Arnold who was in the Ulster academy), Ulster have 10, and Connacht have 10 (12 if you count Marmion and Bealham).

Our foreign sourced players - Robertson-McCoy, McCartney, Roux, Maksymiw, Fainga'a, Butler, Horwitz, Aki, Godwin and Porch - are similar in standard to Ulster's and far better than Munsters (and, obviously, Leinster, as they have only a handful).

If there's one area we fall down in it's getting access to central contracts. Hopefully Aki renews on one next summer and we push on from there on that front.

I take the points above but 2 of our NIQs are Perch and Horwell.......one has almost no 15s experience and the other has struggled to make any impact at all.
I hope they both really push on and are star players for us next year but there is nothing in their pedigree to suggest that and according to that article mid level international players, who might not be world class but are of proven quality, are struggling to find clubs.

To add to the above. The IRFU would rather Connacht and the other provinces 50% of the time ( i was gonna say more than that but I wouldn't believe it), look at academy talent from elsewhere, people with an Irish Granny, players not getting gametime with their own province etc... First before looking abroad and even then the quality coming in has to be top top notch or really worth a punt as a project

I think you're missing the point here: nothing from this article affects Connacht in particular or Irish players in general. It doesn't matter if (often desperately mediocre) South Africans and Islanders are cheaper by the dozen as each province can only have a handful on their books at the same time.

Our playing budget has been increasing, but much of it is being used for re-signing players. When Pat Lam started at Connacht we had 6 international players, now we have 12. In addition we have a number of players - Buckley, Fainga'a, Blade, Farrell - who you could reasonably make a case for as being the best uncapped player in their position league- if not Europe-wide. Retention costs.

If you look at the likes of Pau or Montpellier in particular, signing expensive SH has-beens is not the way to go.

Interesting article here on rugby pass:
www.rugbypass.com/news/rugby-agent-says-...ing-brutal-descisons
One point that jumped out at me:

And it’s becoming a buyers’ market, because supply of players exceeds demand.

If that's true I'd worry that there haven't been more signing from the Irish provinces.
I remember reading this was an issue for mid-level players in England, after Luther Burrell moved back to League, but hadn't thought it was such a widespread issue.
It could be that there's brinkmanship in waiting until after the world cup, but if there are good players available, and we're not signing any of them then it's either that we're not remotely attractive or we just don't have the fund.
Neither of which is encouraging.

Thank god our moral guardians saved us from having him taint our squad :whistle:
Fair play to the lad, knuckled down and got his reward after being treated very poorly by Connacht Rugby and and IRFU, hope he does well.

Reece named in All-Blacks extended squad...

I think we can put the HOUSE on Porch being a success :silly: :lol:

I'm ok with this signing. Had a look at some of his highlights and he looks a brilliant athlete and finisher.
If you're going to get a player from 7s then wing is where you want them. Have a hopeful feeling he might be a great signing for us

If that's it for the signings then so be it, would have liked more but we've some good quality and it's up to the new/academy lads to show there is real strength in depth.
Need a few bolters like Boyle to step up and stake claims for starting spots. On that point I liked to look of Joe Maksymiw against Munster but can't help but think he need to add some bulk. Just think he looks a bit soft for a second row and that if he could pack on 5kg of extra muscle it would really add something to his game.

Very underwhelmed but Friend hasn't let us down yet. This guy could be great only time will tell.

I'd give Friendy the benefit of the doubt over new singing Porch, he clearly has had a birds eye view of what our new singing can bring to the table.

But I'm not convinced if the signings are now completed that we have strengthened the squad enough for the new season.

We lost nine senior players plus Conan & McKeon, and half the new recruits are Academy players of which only Boyle is established...
Of the rest none was a first line player at their previous teams.

I'm sorry but I expected with HEC qualification secured at least one notable signing, god help us if we have another injury crisis....

100% underwhelmed, just don't think we have the budget for anyone more high profile.

I hope he's a goodun. If he scores I hope we play gimme shelter

salmson wrote: So the "Aussie FLyer" is just that, 7s star John Porch.

www.connachtrugby.ie/connacht-rugby-anno...f-winger-john-porch/

Slightly underwhelmed - thought we would have our toes in the water for a slightly more high profile NIQ signing especially given the fact we are back in the Heineken Cup and the whole line that when in that we can attract more high profile players. Hope it works out for John and he proves to be a great signing.

So the "Aussie FLyer" is just that, 7s star John Porch.

www.connachtrugby.ie/connacht-rugby-anno...f-winger-john-porch/

I'd imagine the Niq would be announced to coincide with the start of season ticket sales.